December 25, 2002

Name:

Niko

Age:

Three years old

Gender:

Male

Kind:

Ferret

Home:

Glendale, Wisconsin, USA

Niko
is our 10th ferret (there are five currently living with us) and is
very special. He is a pet therapist, we volunteer at the Humane Society
going to nursing homes and assisted living type facilities. We also do
educational presentations at the HS, for kids. He likes to snuggle in my
lap while I drive. Niko is very sweet, affectionate, and funny. He
loves kids and they are drawn to his gregarious nature. He almost
lights up when he sees someone new. The people we have taken him to see
in his "duties" as a pet therapist just love him. It is hard to pin
down what makes him special. He is just unique.

He loves people and is interested in going places and meeting people.
He goes almost everywhere with me. He sleeps on my lap when I drive,
and sleeps on my chest at night; he is unusually affectionate for a
ferret. He doesn't do any tricks because he doesn't like any treats and
without incentive, no tricks! He likes ice cream and whipped cream. He
loves to bite on the curly phone cord. He doesn't chew on it, he just
bites it. I have a long cord and he tries to drag it behind the couch,
it stretches out and when he lets go it springs back and he chases after
it. He likes toys that squeak, and he hides all of them behind the
couch. He almost died a week or two ago, he got squished under an
ottoman. We thought he was going to die, but he pulled through and is
chipper as ever. The vet was wonderful, although they shaved three of
his legs and his tail and neck (trying to find a vein for the IV) and
now he looks like some weird poodle. We had to mix his medicine with
whipped cream to get him to take it, but we are thrilled that he is ok.
When we picked him up from the vet he climbed on my shoulder and
snuggled in my long hair, which he loves to do. We love Niko!